# M.M.LaFleur: Sarah LaFleur (2020)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2022-01-10
- Length: 1h 08m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-10-m-m-lafleur-sarah-lafleur-2020

## Summary

Sarah LaFleur, who left a high-pressure private equity job to co-found M.M.LaFleur with designer Miyako Nakamura, explains how she bootstrapped the company with $70,000 and pivoted from failed trunk shows to a successful 'Bento' subscription model. LaFleur details her struggle to raise venture capital, facing repeated rejections from male-dominated VCs who dismissed working women as a 'niche' market, until investor Bob Deutsch helped her secure crucial early funding. She describes the operational nightmare of early inventory management and the breakthrough moment when sending pre-selected clothing boxes to customers tripled revenue, proving product-market fit for professional women seeking tailored, wrinkle-resistant workwear.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-10-m-m-lafleur-sarah-lafleur-2020#t=0) Introduction: Sarah LaFleur and M.M.LaFleur
- [4:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-10-m-m-lafleur-sarah-lafleur-2020#t=258) Childhood, Harvard, and Early Career Choices
- [14:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-10-m-m-lafleur-sarah-lafleur-2020#t=854) Leaving Private Equity and Starting M.M.LaFleur
- [25:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-10-m-m-lafleur-sarah-lafleur-2020#t=1528) Partnering with Designer Miyako Nakamura
- [37:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-10-m-m-lafleur-sarah-lafleur-2020#t=2227) Trunk Shows and the Failure of Early E-commerce
- [46:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-10-m-m-lafleur-sarah-lafleur-2020#t=2815) Running Out of Cash and Raising Funds from Bob Deutsch
- [54:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-10-m-m-lafleur-sarah-lafleur-2020#t=3299) The 'Bento' Box Pivot and Finding Product-Market Fit
- [1:00:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-10-m-m-lafleur-sarah-lafleur-2020#t=3600) Justifying Price Points and Expanding to DC and SF

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- M.M.LaFleur (company)
- Miyako Nakamura (other)
- Zach Posen (company)
- Bob Deutsch (other)
- Bain (company)
- WeWork (company)
- Bonobos (company)
- Warby Parker (company)
- Stitch Fix (company)
- Trunk Club (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Oddball's Path From Idea to Funding a Nationwide Target Launch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-07-11-oddballs-path-from-idea-to-funding-a-nationwide-target-launch) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Val Emanuel of Rif Care](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-01-03-founder-feature-val-emanuel-of-rif-care) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Investor Spotlight: Deborah Benton of Willow Growth Partners](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-08-investor-spotlight-deborah-benton-of-willow-growth-partners) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#179 - Bootstrap Heroes: Hazard's Hop Water, SWAIR, Gourmend Foods](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-01-21-179-bootstrap-heroes-hazards-hop-water-swair-gourmend-foods) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#80 From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-02-21-80-from-turning-down-shark-tank-offers-to-raising-2-7-million-for-nopalera-with) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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